Kyurem of Lab Five
by Annabeth Zatsune
Summary: "Ky-ky-kyu?" Unable to speak properly, a young cat-Chimera girl and her snake companion set out into the world to be picked up by a man called 'Greed.' Greed then helps her learn the ways of the world and understand love. But when her construction-flaw is revealed, just how many people will fight to have her? How many will try to prevent her from living? Greed\LingxOC, please R
1. Into the World

She could only say one word.

Kyu.

Short for Kyurem, her name.

She was small. Her hair was dark brown with a white accent in the bangs. Her skin was pale, her eyes were a coffee color. Her clothes were loose-fitting white work-clothes and black sandals. She was fourteen.

She'd lived her whole life in a place called Lab Five.

Why?

She had two tiny black cat-ears and a foot-long black cat-tail. Her ears were about an inch long each and had fuzzy pink insides. Her tail was skinny with a fluffy end. She could understand human speech, but couldn't speak it herself. When she was mixed with the small feline, her vocal cords had been screwed up. Now she could only mutter small growls, purrs, mews and her name.

But…

Something was wrong.

The room was shaking. The wall next to her crumbled.

"Kyu?" she mewed.

"Why? Why is the lab crumbling!" someone yelled.

Crumbling? That meant breaking, right? Why was it breaking?

The iron gate keeping her in was bent. She laid down and wormed her way out of the room. "Kyu?"

The scientists were running past her in a frenzy, scared out of their wits. They weren't even paying attention to her.

Eventually, the scientists were all gone. She heard a hissing and looked down. There was a large snake. It had a red upper body and an off-white belly. Large purple eyes stared up at her.

"Kyu?"

She knelt down and held her arm out to him. he slithered up it. She knew one thing, and that was that she wsn't going to let this poor little snake die in this collapsing building.

"Kyu." she said in determination. She then got on all fours and bounded out as quickly as she could.

She wasn't going to let another life die in this hateful building.

"Kyu!" she screamed, leaping out of a broken window and, for the first time, into fresh air.

Seeing people, she skidded into an alley. She didn't want to be seen! She wasn't fit to be seen! She wasn't' human, and humans were scared of what they didn't understand.

How could a human understand a cat-girl that couldn't speak and was illiterate?

She curled up in the corner of the alley, mewling softly.

The snake hissed soothingly, wrapping itself in circles around her.

"Kyu…" she purred gratefully.

The next morning, she woke up, stretching. She wasn't one to forget where she was when she woke up, so her mind went straight to the most important thing—Food.

"Kyu? Kyu kyu kyu…" she murmured.

The snake woke up with a hiss and slithered off. There was a squeak and it came back, an enormous rat in it's mouth. It dropped it in front of her. "Kyu!" she mewed.

"Kyu ky-kyu kyu? Kyu?" she murmured upon finishing the shared meal.

It flicked it's tongue at her. She held her arm out and let it slither up.

It was time to go into the world.


	2. Dogman in Dublith

She stayed to the allies, not so sure she could exactly be around so many humans. She made it to a train-station and saw someone she recognized.

A young boy with a red coat and blonde hair kept in a braid. She'd seen him outside the her former home when she escaped with the snake, Hiss. "Ky-ky-kyu? Kyu-yu."

Making up her mind to follow him, she slithered onto the bottom of the train and unleashed her tiny little black claws. As the train started to move, she held on even tighter. Hiss wrapped himself around her and one of the pipes for extra support. "Ky-ky-ky-kyu!" she chittered gratefully.

The train went on for a while, almost two days. When it stopped at a place called 'Dublith,' she got off and ran into an alley. Watching people get on and off, she realized she didn't see the boy anywhere. "Kyu..." she sighed sadly, thinking of how the train had made one other stop. He must've gotten off.

She slunk along the alley, mewing and chittering softly. Hiss flicked his tongue out at her, the forked tip tickling her cheek. "Ky-kyu."

They'd need food. She scented the air for rats or mice. Picking up the scent of one in a near-by corner, she crouched down on all fours and stealthily went closer. Now she could see the rat. It was rather large, with pitch-black fur.

Quickly, she pounced. A lethal bite to the wind-pipe killed the rodent in a few seconds. Turning to Hiss, she noticed the snake already had a rat of his own, so she ate hers alone. "Ky-kyu. Kyu kyu-yu!" she murmured, feeling her tiny fluffy ears.

Suddenly, she felt in danger. The sixth sense of a cat far surpassed that of a human, so she bounded to Hiss, scooped him up, and kept running until she found a drain-pipe. She quickly scaled it, still feeling something trying to find her. Was it a scientist from Lab Five?

If so, he wasn't bringing her back alive!

She was almost all the way up the pipe when something grabbed at her ankle. "Gotcha!"

Hissing, she shook her leg furiously, looking down at him. Hiss slithered down her body and deftly bit the man on the wrist, forcing him to let go. Hiss on her leg, Kyurem scrambled onto the top of the building. She looked down at the man growling up at her. "Ky-ky-ky!" she mewed in alarm.

The man reeked of dog!

He growled one last time, then took a running start, and jumped...

Kyu screamed and turned tail. He was climbing the drain-pipe! Coming after her! She ran over, around, and across roof-tops, determined to lose the dog-man.

"You get back here!" he roared.

She didn't reply in any way, just kept running. She wasn't going to let herself be caught by a dog! Felines were better than that!

She felt a sharp point on her back and realized the man had a sword. Spotting a small cove of sorts, she ducked into it and huddled in the farthest corner. When he peered in at her, she hissed, baring her small sharp teeth and brandishing her claws. Hiss reared up, mouth open and tail rattling.

"So, you are a Chimera."

"Kyu! Ky-kyu-yu!" she growled menacingly.

"Just what are you? You reek of a cat, but you sure as hell sound like a mouse or something."

"Fsssssssss!" she snarled, swiping at him.

"Yeah, you're a cat, ain't ya? Where ya from, kitty?"

"Kyu!" she snapped in aggravation.

"What?"

She pointed to herself. "Ky. Yu. Kyu!" she mewed angrily. She didn't like being called 'kitty!'

"Whatever... Where you from? Whaddya doin' here?"

"Ky-ky-ky!"

There was about thirty seconds of silence.

"You can't speak, can you?"

Now he did get swiped.


	3. Taken in

She waited for four hours before sticking her head out to scent the air and see if he was still there.

His scent wasn't fresh, for one thing. She crept out about five inches. Hiss slithered all the way out and flicked his tail at her. She nodded and followed him.

They got pretty far before both of their sixth senses kicked in. But scenting the air, she couldn't pick up the dog-man's scent. She growled, arching her back. Something somewhere near-by wasn't friendly, but she couldn't tell what from where!

Hiss slithered up her arm and she stood up. Her eyes weren't the round kitten eyes they normally were, she was sure of that. In fact, as she peered in the window of an abandoned building, she saw her pupils had narrowed into slits and the cafe-brown of her irises had spread and covered the entire white of her eye. She wasn't sweet little baby-Kyu anymore...

Now, she was battle-ready, prepared to fight for her hide.

Now then, you must be that little kitty-cat Dolcetto told me about."

Growling, she spun around, claws out, fangs bared, ears laid back and tail lashing. The man standing in the door-way wasn't human, she could smell that much. His tattoo drew her attention. On the back of his hand, a tattoo like a dragon eating it's own tail, forming a circle around a six-pointed star.

She growled with even more ferocity now. She knew that tattoo!

There was a woman that had come to the lab multiple times. She had had that same tattoo on her chest!

"Ahh, so you noticed this?" the man grinned, holding up his hand. "You must know one of my so-called siblings."

She hunched over, feeling very much unlike herself. There wasn't any fear. Just anger, desire to hurt him. He wasn't good. Not for her anyway. Her cat-senses told her he was a chaotic-neutral sort of person, but for her, that meant bad.

"Rrrr... rrrrr... rrrr-rrrr..."

"Wow, such an angry expression for such a cute face!" the man chuckled, something shiny and black covering his hand.

"Mmmf?" She relaxed a tiny bit. That stuff didn't smell or look dangerous, but she somehow sensed it wasn't good. Then she resumed her growling and hunched 'fear me' pose.

"Wow, you look intimidating! But that won't help you- Gah!"

She grinned. The ploy had worked. Hiss had slithered up behind the man and bite him fair and square on the leg. But...

He was okay!

"Nice, girlie..." he smirked. "But a little snake-bite ain't gonna phase me that much."

"Rrrr..." she growled determinedly, but she felt fear playing with her heart-strings, making it beat wildly.

His next move was too quick for even her feline senses. She found herself pinned up against the wall. All of her tough attitude vanished, and she flinched, waiting for him to strike her. "You expect pain with failure. A nice trait."

"Kyu?" She opened her eyes, confused.

Why didn't he hit her? Why was he backing off.

"So, what I want to offer is for you to join my little gang, 'Kyu.'" he grinned. "The name's Greed."

Greed stood there as she sank to the ground. "Ky-ky-kyu..." she mewed, putting her hands on the sides of her head. She was confused. Why...? Why was he doing this? Was it supposed to confuse her so he could attack her?

"Kyu?"

He had extended his hand, a grin still on his face. She saw that he had sharp teeth and red eyes. A little like the woman from the lab, only redder and sharper.

Hiss slithered up her arm, his reassuring smoothness wrapped around her skin. She looked into his purple eyes, seeking advice...

Everything there said to go with this man.

On her own, she stood up. "Ky-ky-yu." she chittered.

Greed nodded, turning and walking away. She followed right at his heels.


	4. Chimera Friends

She wasn't so sure now. She'd been with Greed for a while, so she'd caught the scent of lots of other Chimeras, some predatory to felines!

"What are you worried about? I can tell you're nervous." Greed chuckled at her jump.

"Ky-ky-yu-yu..." she trembled.

"Oh. You can smell things like Dolcetto. So you can smell all of my other henchmen on me. And the fact that some are carnivorous. Don't worry, no one's gonna eat you." Greed chuckled.

Did this man ever just plain talk? Or was it all sneers, chuckles, leers, and exclamations?

He stopped outside a bar called the Devil's Nest. She froze up. He lived in, under or over a bar? How drunk was he normally? "Don't worry, it's just a cover." he told her, looking back at her shocked face.

A cover? That meant it just hid whatever he and his henchmen did. She relaxed and scampered after him.

But, as they were entering the building, she got tense, nervous and scared again.

"Come on, scaredy-cat. No one's gonna hurt you."

She continued, right next to him now. Hiss hissed softly, his forked tongue tickling her cheek. But she was still terrified.

Greed opened up a door to a room, and the few people in there looked up. She recognized the dog-man, Dolcetto. The woman over there smelled like Hiss... She was a snake-Chimera. The others she wasn't so sure about... What, there was a lizard and an alligator...

"So, she agreed to come?" Dolcetto asked. She stiffened up, her tail and ears twitching.

"Yeah, she did. She seems an okay kid. She has good traits, for one thing." Greed nodded.

She was introduced to the others. Dolcetto, Roa, Bedo, and Martell. She was stock-still through it all. she'd grown up in a science-lab, so was lacking on courage and people-skills. It was natural for her to be nervous like this, wasn't it?

The fact that she couldn't talk, read, or write was quickly discovered. She was embarrassed, but the others agreed to teach her, so she loosened up a bit. Hiss was getting along with them well enough, so why shouldn't she?

She lived with Greed and his friends for about a week before they were asked to do something.

"A soul bound to a suit of armor..." Greed said, almost dreamily. "That sounds like immortality to me! I want you guys to bring him here!"

She didn't know what was going on, just followed the others. Armor... That sounded familiar, why couldn't she place it?

They stood outside the Nest, waiting patiently. She didn't know whom for, just that they were waiting.

She laid, curled up on the ground. Hiss was wrapped around her, making a protective ring. She was about to drift into slumber when a metallic scent reached her. She sat bolt-upright.

"Something wrong?" Martell asked her.

Now Dolcetto stood up. "He's here!"

There were heavy foot-steps, and she stood now, her tail bristling. Just barely, she knew that scent. That scent had been present when she was escaping from the lab!

Seeing who it was, she hissed and ducked behind Roa. She knew it was cowardly, but she also knew that person! He had been there! He had also been at the train-station with the boy in red!

"So, you know him, Kyu?" Roa asked. She nodded, peering out around him.

"'We know your secret. Meet us at the Devil's Nest.' What's this all about?"

That voice was very young... And there was no flesh-scent beneath the armor! She squeaked, ducking back behind Roa.

She watched fearfully from behind Roa until Dolcetto was punched. She'd actually become better friends with him than the others. With an angry hiss, she leapt at the armored person. They were surprised, and stumbled back. Martell quickly knocked off the helmet and invaded the hollow shell. She and Roa then pinned the armor down.

"Ky-kyu?" she mewed, peeking in the armor at Martell.

"Just fine, thank you." the woman said through gritted teeth.

"You people aren't human, are you?" the person asked.

"No, they're not. They're Chimeras, and they happen to be working for me..." Greed said smoothly and slyly, emerging from the Nest.


	5. Construction Flaw Revealed

She lay purring on the floor. The metal boy was being questioned by Greed.

Finally, Greed turning to me. "Roa tells me you know him?"

She nodded, starting to write in the dust on the floor. Dolcetto, Roa and Greed came and stood over her as she wrote.

"Ah, so he was at Lab Five."

"Hey, how did she know that? I've never seen her before!" the boy, Alphonse, cried.

"Kyu escaped from Lab Five when it was collapsing. She saw you and your brother standing outside when she escaped with her little friend, Hiss. Kyu knew she couldn't fit in among humans, so hid. When you guys took the train, she tried to follow you, but you got off a station or two before she knew and she lost you. Dolcetto found her, and I reeled her in." Greed grinned.

"She was a test-subject at that lab?... For how long?"

"She was picked up as a babe. Then they mixed her with a tiny kitten. She came out almost perfect. Only with the exception of her vocal-cords being screwed up."

There was a little more chit-chat, and then Bedo left to get the boy's brother.

"Kyu!" she mewed.

"Sure, you can go too, Kyu." Greed shrugged.

Purring, she rubbed against him before bounding after Bedo, Hiss wrapped around her arm.

Apparently, the boy had gone wandering off, so she was needed to track his scent. When they found him, he was pissed. He beat up Bedo and chased her to the Nest.

"Wow, well done, Kyu!" laughed Greed as she darted behind him and peered out at the furious boy.

"Brother! He's a Homunculus! They're Chimera!" Alphonse cried.

"Ky-kyu!" she chittered.

"Really..."

"And the one you chased in saw us at Lab Five!"

The boy turned to look at her. She squeaked and fled to behind Roa. He was better for hiding behind!

"Oh, really?"

But right about then the fighting started. She obeyed Greed and ran, but she stopped following the others after a few meters and went back. Her loyalty sure could interfere!

Greed was now facing two opponents. The boy and a woman. And he was faring badly.

Hissing, she launched herself onto the boy.

"Gah!" He went down as she clawed and bit at him. She was tiny, and he was expecting her to be larger, so his blows and attempts to throw her off all went over her head.

"Edward!"

The woman pulled her off of him.

"Kyurem! I told you to run with the others!" Greed snapped.

"Ky-k-k-kyu! Kyu kyu kyu!" she mewed, standing beside him. Again, she felt her eyes were different. No longer baby-Kyu again. Her tail lashed, and she almost... felt it growing. Same with her ears.

"What the...?" the woman gasped.

She knew what the issue was.

And now she knew what 'construction-flaw' the scientists had always spoken of.


	6. Death Or Is It?

Her tail was long, and her ears were larger. Her claws were large, cruel and shone in the light. Her fangs were larger; she could feel the largest two sticking slightly out.

She wasn't baby-Kyu anymore...

Now she was what some Chimera-breeders only dreamed of. A weapon.

"Fine. But at the first hint of trouble, you leave, alright?" Greed told her. She nodded.

Soldiers flooded in. "Never mind; C'mon!" She followed Greed out.

"Did we loose 'em?" he asked after a little.

She turned and scented the air. Nodding, she confirmed that they weren't being followed.

"Great."

They continued walking until they found Alphonse and Martel. "Ky-ky-kyu!" she mewed, aiming it at Martel.

"I'm fine, thanks, Kyu." came the dry voice.

"That's good." Greed grinned.

Suddenly, a scent came to her that wasn't any of Greed's henchmen. Her head whipped up. Greed and Martel continued talking, Alphonse throwing in the occasional comment. She sniffed, trying to figure it out. It wasn't anyone she knew. That much she was sure of.

No...

She knew that scent!

"Kyu!" she screamed. But Greed was already thrown back. The stranger was one she knew. He'd come to Lab Five. He was a monster.

He killed withour remorse.

And now he was after Greed!

"No! Kyurem! Martel! Get away!" Greed ordered.

She could feel tears in her eyes. But she obeyed.

Halfway down the tunnel, she turned around and ran back. She bounded past Alphonse and Martel. She skidded to a stop near where Greed was battling the man. The dead bodies of Roa and Dorcetto were the first thing she saw.

No...

They couldn't be dead.

She felt the monster-Kyu coming again.

Roaring, she lept at him, fangs digging into his neck. Snarling, she held on until his sword grazed down her back. Hissing, she let go and stood in front of Greed. She wouldn't let him hurt Greed any more!

"I remember you. You're that Chimera from Lab Five. The one that always cooperated in her tests despite the fact that most resulted in pain. Are you really willing to fight me, little mute?" he sneered.

She hissed, tail lashing. Of course she wasn't willing! But if it meant protecting one of her only friends in the world, she would!

She flew at him, but his sword was put before him.

She'd jumped straight onto it.

"No! Kyurem!" she heard Greed yell.

There was a hiss. Through her blurry vision, she saw Hiss on the ground. His purple eyes stared up at her, boring into her own coffee-brown ones. His black tongue flicked out at her.

Her eyes hardened. With one hands, she reached down and grabbed the sword in her stomach. Hissing, she pulled her head up so it was even with his.

"Not dead yet, are you?"

She growled. Her hand tightened, and the sword snapped. She landed on her knees. Standing up, she jerked the piece in her gut out. "N-no..." she said softly.

Her first word...

No time for that!

The man lunged for her, drawing another sword. She dodged to the side, raking her claws down his face.

But the scratches healed right up...

And on the eye normally hidden under the patch was the tattoo!

"Nice try. But you just lost."

That chilling voice was the last thing she heard as the sword dug in up to the hilt. She coughed, and a jet of blood fell on his arm. He yanked the sword out, and she fell to the ground, unsupported. Her blood pooled around her as she closed her heavy eye-lids...

"No..." she murmured.


	7. Monster

Something smooth was on her. She was aware of that much.

Opening her eyes, she faintly saw Hiss curled up on her side.

Remembering what'd happened, she sat up suddenly, Hiss quickly coiling up on her arm to keep from being dumped off. But Greed and the other Homunculus were gone.

"No..." she said softly, tears forming in her eyes. "No no no no no..."

A scent wavered down to her.

Those two from the Lab!

She got up and followed it. It was their fault, she was sure of it!

But they weren't in the Nest!

What she did find were the dead bodies of her fellow Chimera. Her hands were on the sides of her head and tears were flowing down her cheeks.

She should've been able to protect Greed. Then he could've stopped this massacre!

Still following the scent, she discovered they were getting on another train. This time, before she herself got on, she found the exact car they were in. Hiss wrapped himself around her and the pipe she clung to. This time, she didn't fall asleep.

She got off at the same time as them and followed them.

It was easy enough to blend in in the crowded streets of Rush Valley. She just tucked her tail in and fluffed her hair up she that her ears were hidden. Hiss draped himself across her shoulders so her looked like a scarf. She attracted few to no stares.

The Elrics were in front of an auto-mail shop when she caught up. They were in a conversation with a blonde girl. Suddenly she was pummeling one with a wrench. Kyurem flinched a little at that. She wasn't a fan of the brothers, but that looked like it hurt badly!

Now they were just walking idly. She still tailed them.

"I think we have a follower." said Edward, the one that she and Greed had faced together.

Squeaking, she ducked behind a wall and started to run. But she already heard them behind her!

"Gotcha!"

Ouch! "No!" she yelled, stopping and twisting around, trying to reclaim her tail from Alphonse.

Hiss reared up, hissing menacingly. She finally just ripped his hand off, freeing herself.

"No ya don't!"

A large stone wall rose up in front of her. She hissed, turning to face them.

"Woah, there! We don't wanna fight you!"

Huh?

"We just wanna know why you're following us, and why you were in Lab Five!"

Again, huh?

"No." she said sternly.

"So you learned to talk?" asked Alphonse.

"No..." she said, a little crestfallen.

"That's just your first word."

"Kyuuuu..." she growled.

But she had no choice other than to follow them.

But eventually, they found something else of interest. A collapsed young man.

For some reason... She was drawn to him, felt as though she should be loyal to him!

And then she found out why.

Ling Yao. That was his name. He was from Xing. And he was searching for immortality!

Like Greed!

She sidled up to him. "K-kyu!" she purred, butting her head up against him.

"A Chimera, huh? How so? You look normal to me." he said as his body-guards went chasing after the Elrics.

"Ky-k-k..." Slowly, making sure no one was watching but Ling, she pulled out her tail and let her ears stick out.

"Ooh, that's impressive! I like that, I do!"

Blushing, she smiled.

Suddenly, twin explosions shook the ground. "Oh well, better go see what's going on." Ling sighed, getting up. She followed after him, easily able to keep up. "Oh, so you're tagging along?" he asked.

"Kyu!" she said in determination.

She followed him. He was her new master. She wouldn't let it end up like Greed. She wouldn't let him die. She wouldn't let him be hurt.

They followed the Elrics and the girl who'd blugeoned Edward, Winry, to Central. When they arrived, Ling wandered away from Lan Fan and Fu, his protectoers. She followed him, but when the police showed up, she ran, as ordered.

She watched as Ling was dragged off to prison. Unable to do anything, she found Lab Five.

It was collapsed, ruined, totally destroyed.

But that wouldn't stop her...

She quickly found a place to wriggle in through and get to the more underground portions of the lab. Upon doing so, she scented the air. All stale. No one there.

Her feet made small _tip-tup_ noises on the dusty floors as she walked through the halls. She saw something that sparked her interest.

A filing cabinet.

One of the files she could see was labeled 'Project Kyurem.'

That was her.

Project Kyurem.

She went in and opened the file. A thick wad of papers greeted her.

Taking them out, she started to read. There was a lot there.

Including...

She...?

She wasn't...?

She wasn't a cat-Chimera?

Well, that'd explain a few things!

But what was a displacer beast? How could she change into one? How was it an uncontrollable thing?

Confused, she looked for the file with the information on the displacer beast. Finding it, she opened it. There was only one thing in there. A photo.

It was of a vicious looking cat. But it was huge! It was black, had short fur, white markings on it's face, green eyes, six legs, a long, whip-like tail, and tentacles comng out of it's back. It was snarling, and long white fangs could be seen.

But her eyes were brown...

Probably her human part.

But this was what she was? It was scary... Meaning she was scary...

She'd been mixed with a baby version of this. Now, she was sixteen. It would be an adult. She was a monster...


	8. Jailbreak

Monster.

That word rang in her skull.

Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.

No...

Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.

"No!"

She stood rigidly. Her tail was lashing, and her hands were on her head. But it was no good. There was something inside her, stirring, waking up!

"No! No, no no no no no no no!" she screamed, shaking her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

It wasn't right! She wasn't anything like that monster! Nothing like that thing in the photo on the floor! Nothing!

... That was a lie...

Sobbing, she sank to her knees.

Those times when her flaw had come through... That was the beast rearing it's ugly head. She was losing it. Would the displacer beast one day come through... Permanently?

A harsher sob wracked her body. She suddenly felt small and frail. Not like a powerful Chimera. Small, powerless, weak, unimportant. How could she fight the monster as well as protect Ling? That was almost impossible!

Putting her hands over her face, she screamed in anguish.

Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster.

"No!" she screamed.

She wouldn't let it take her... Not while she had people to protect! Not while she was still alive! She could hold the rage back long enough to protect Ling, help him on his search!

She slowly stood up. She was strong. She could make it. She'd survived the Homunculus trying to kill her. She could live long enough without it winning!

She growled. "No... You stay..." she hissed.

The thing inside her was settled down now. But it wouldn't stay that way for long...

So she'd better work fast.

Hiss following close behind her, she ran back to where she'd entered and writhed back out. Then she ran again, finding where she'd left Ling and then following his scent. She growled at how many guards there were. She'd have to improvise.

Finding a decently tall tree, she climbed it, and from there, jumped over the tall wall surrounding the prison. She scented the air. No guards anywhere close, but one was coming this direction! She quickly ran to the building, surrounded by bushes, and hid in a bunch. The guard looked around curiously, having heard the slight rustle of the bushes. There was a loud hiss, and he looked down, then took a few large steps back, startled by something.

She craned her neck and saw Hiss glaring up at the man. The guard then continued on, giving Hiss a wide berth. Hiss then slithered into the bushes after her. She purred, scratching beneath Hiss's chin as he wrapped himself around her arm. Scenting the air, she didn't smell any other guards coming, so she made for the barred window just a slight bit away. She was small enough to writhe through the bars.

"Wh-what the-!"

"No... Shh." she hushed, putting a finger to her mouth. "Free." she said simply.

The two men in the cell grinned, getting the message. "Free all." she murmured softly. Going to the barred door, she scented the air. No guards close by, but one was coming. She stuck one hand through the bars and stuck one claw in the lock.

"Look out!" hissed one of the inmates. She jumped up and crouched behind him. A guard passed by.

"You two normally start fighting around this time... What's going on?"

"Nuthin'... Nothing to fight over." the other one said dully, yawning. Kyurem kept herself curled up, as small as she could make herself.

There was a pause, and then the guard moved away. She came out, nodding her thanks as she got back to work on the lock. Eventually it popped open. "Go! Help others!" she mewed. The two nodded and went different directions, working on other locks. She went straight across the hall to the next cell.

Soon, people all along the halls were clamoring for freedom, and she could hear guards coming. "Guards! Careful!" she yelled.

Her speech was evolving. Short, broken sentences were all she could manage, but that was a start!

Scenting something familiar, she darted to the next cell... And cocked her head in confusion.

A young woman stared back at her. She smelled faintly of...

"You..." she murmured, pointing. "You know... Ed and Al?"

"Wh-who are you? What are you?"

"Freeing you. Seen boy, long black hair?" she asked.

"N-no..."

"There she is! Open fire!"

Hissing, she turned to face the guards...

... And she was shot several times. She fell to all fours.

"Rrrrrr... Rrrr!" she growled. Her eyes definately weren't baby-Kyu right now. Her ears were pointier, larger... Her tail was longer, lashing... Her claws were bigger. "Rrrrr... Rrrrrrr!... Rawr!"

As she jumped, ready to claw them up, she was shot multiple more times. She fell to the ground, coughing some blood up. She was too weak to support herself now...

As she fell, the soldiers ran past, rounding up prisoners... So much noise, so much activity... It hurt...

A soft hiss made her open her bleary eyes. "H-Hiss..." she murmured, feebly reaching for the snake.

... He was crying... Tears rolled down his angular head and into her wounds...

It wasn't so hard to see now...

"Oh..."

Hiss was more valuable to her than just a friend, she realized. It wasn't hurting...

... Because Hiss was healing her! His tears had healing properties! That was how she'd survived the Fuhrer running her through, how she'd survived for so long!

Grunting, she pushed herself up. "Th-thanks..."

"It's still alive! Open fire!"

She bounded down the hallway. They had to be more careful with their shots while she was moving... Otherwise they'd hit something they shouldn't...!

That hall was still full of inmates! She bounded down it, dodging through the men and women. "Uff!" she gasped, the wind knocked out of her as she ran into someone.

"Kyurem!"

"Ling!" she squealed, glomping the prince. "I came to get you!"

"That's sweet, but unless you can get us out alive, I don't really see the point right now."

Right above his head was an air-vent. She crouched down, then sprang up. "C'mon! There's someone I want to get before we go! There's a vent in her cell too!"

Ling followed her up, and they began crawling through the cramped dark space. "Impressive leap in your speech." he said.

"K-k-kyu!" she chittered, glad he couldn't see her crimson face. She started scenting the air at each vent-cover they passed, careful not to make too much noise.

"Wait..."

"Ling?"

"If you're breaking just two people out, it'll look suspicious. We should grab a few others, jut to make it look like they escaped in the confusion."

She nodded, seeing his logic. "But... No, no one dangerous." she mewed, carefully removing the vent-cover they were at. There was one person in the cell. "Psst!"

"Huh?" the guy said, confused.

"What'd you do?" she mewed. "To get in?"

"... Uhh... I stole some stuff..."

"Come."

Seven others were picked up before she found the right cell. She carefully removed the cover. "Hey!"

"You...!"

"Come on! I can take you to Ed and Al!"

"How do you know them?"

"I'm... sort of a friend of theirs." she said, extending a hand to help the woman up. As she did, she caught the name on the woman's wrist-chain. _Maria_.

Slowly but surely, the group made their way out of the prison. When they finally escaped, they saw a few others actually escaping in the confusion. She smiled. Now theirs looked even more natural! "We're out!" she purred, rubbing her head on Ling's arm. "Now c'mon, I said I'd get you to Ed and Al..."

She lifted her nose to the wind and sniffed. Faintly, she caught the Elric scent. Metal, sparks, oil and blood... That was them. "This way!"

The scent was faint, and tossed about on the wind, so they took several wrong turns, avoided a few soldiers, and hid out in an abandoned building for about an hour before finally arriving at the hotel where the scent was at it's strongest.

"How are we going to deliver her?" Ling asked. "We can't just waltz right up to the front desk and ask for the Elrics!"

"You two can't, but I can." she said haughtily, fluffing up her hair, flattening her ears, and tucking her tail into her pants. Hiss slithered off her arm and onto Ling's. "Be back in a bit!"

She bounded across the road and into the building. She put on her best innocent little-girl face possible as she came up to the desk. "Uhmm... Excuse me, but could you tell me which room Edward Elric is in? A delivery that was supposed to get to him got mixed up, and now we need to clarify what he ordered again." she said sweetly.

The man looked her up and down. She certainly looked like someone who would be doing this... Slightly dirty work-clothes, small, probably working for spare change...

"Yes... He's in room seven-hundred and five B. Seventh floor." the man sighed.

"Thank you!" she smiled, running up the stairs.

One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven! Which way? Right! She bounded down the hall-way, watching the numbers fly by. Skidding to a stop, she knocked on the door.

"Hello?"

"Ky-k-k-kyu!" she chittered.

The door was flung open. "Kyurem! What're you doing here? Where've you been?" Edward demanded.

"I brought you someone. She's just outside." she replied.

"H-how'd your... speech improve so... so fast?"

"Grr!" Grabbing his wrist, she dragged him after her and to the alley. "Ling! Hiss! Maria!" she called softly.

"Maria? As in... Ross?" he asked.

"That's right."

A new scent. Ling's fear scent. Maria's fear scent had increased. Hiss was limp. Someone here had found them. She growled. "Where are you? Are you so cowardly as to not show your opponent your face? Come out here so I can kick your ass!" she snarled. The baby-angel face was gone now, replaced by the angry face.

This scent was of several people.

Ashes.

Fire-arms.

And flames. Blood-soaked flames.

She growled. Someone here was responsible for killing many, and if there was one thing she hated more than not having Greed around, it was someone who mercilessly slew innocent.

"Kyurem, this might not be the best person to insult..." Edward murmured, although his gaze was hard too. Not addressing her, he said, "And what do you want, Colonel Bastard?"


	9. DON'T REVIEW

**Hello, and thank you to all those reading this...**

**But for now, this story is going on HIATUS D:...**

**Don't worry, it'll get up an' runnin' again someday! But for now, I need to narrow down what stories I work on so I can finish all of these and publish my new ones! Please don't kill me for putting this particular one on hiatus... It's nothing personal... Just going by which one is closest to done... which isn't this one...**

**DO NOT REVIEW FOR THIS CHAPTER!**

**IT WILL BE REPLACED WHEN I GET AROUND TO GETTING THIS THING OFF HIATUS! DON'T WASTE YOUR PRECIOUS REVIEW ON THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE!**


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